Define essential workers

April 13, 2004

In our strike-weary community, we were relieved that a potential walk-out by American Red Cross workers was averted earlier this month.

More than 250 workers in the Petoskey, Lansing, Flint, Kalamazoo and Muskegon offices of the Great Lakes American Red Cross Blood Services had threatened a strike after contract negotiations had gone nowhere for two months.

In anticipation of the possible strike - which would've affected about 15 local workers - Red Cross officials had been stockpiling blood supplies from other regions throughout Michigan and out-of-state.

Despite the strike threat, Red Cross officials said they'd still have been able to collect and distribute blood donations as usual for at least a short period of time.

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But we're concerned when professions we deem as providing essential, life-or-death services, threaten to or go out on strike.

In the case of the Red Cross workers, the walkout would've included those who handle getting the blood out of donors' bodies safely, processing it and distributing it. What makes such a scenario more worrisome is that the Red Cross is the only blood supplier to our local hospitals, Northern Michigan Hospital and Charlevoix Area Hospital.

Even though the strike was averted when a contract was reached with the workers represented by the Office and Professional Employees International Union, Local 459, it begs addressing the broader question:

Should essential services employees even be allowed by law to strike?

We know, we know - unionization and the right to strike are cornerstones of our country and legal labor rights for Americans.

But we're asking the question from a philosophical perspective; should these employees be allowed to walk off their jobs?

And what would be defined as "essential services?" Some are obvious to us: doctors, nurses, firefighters, ambulance drivers, police, Red Cross workers.

But what about garbage collectors? Imagine the health concerns if mounds of trash piled up in our streets and yards. What about city department of public works' employees, or snowplow drivers? After all, getting to and from work and home safely is about as essential a task as any; having functioning city infrastructure - sewer, electrical and water - is pretty essential stuff, too.

We don't have the answer, but we think the issue is important enough that it should be grabbing the attention of legislators and Michigan residents. Perhaps binding arbitration should be required when labor impasses arise in certain professions; automatic mediation is another option.

This in no way should be construed as advocacy against or for the ongoing nurses' strike at Northern Michigan Hospital. They have followed the proper protocols and are allowed by law to continue striking.

It just seems there needs to be a different system in place for professions where our lives literally depend on these people showing up to work. Common sense dictates that all jobs don't encompass the same levels of responsibilities - and for some, that includes life-or-death ramifications.